How To Pay For Medical Bills With No Insurance

You don’t have any health insurance but recently found yourself in need of medical care. You know it’s only a matter of time before the bills start rolling in and aren’t sure how you’re going to pay them. You’re looking for a way to pay for medical bills with no insurance.

Listen to me carefully.

You are not alone.

I’ve been in your shoes except I didn’t have anyone giving me advice and it beat me. Over $10,000 in unpaid medical bills haunted me for seven years on my credit report. When the bills finally dropped off, the unthinkable happened.

I needed medical care again. Although this time, I would not bury my head in the sand. I would not spend another seven years in the financial handcuffs known as a bad credit score. Instead, I researched as much as possible and put in place a plan of action. This plan enabled me to pay off all of my medical debt. You can imagine the stress that was lifted off of me, and I felt free.

I want that for you too.

If you’re facing a similar situation, please know, you can do this! I’ve done the research and put it into action. You can too.

Six Ways To Pay For Medical Bills With No Insurance

One: Get Organized

Be sure to keep track of all the bills as they come in. If you spent any time in a hospital, you’re likely to have bills from a variety of places; Radiology, Physicians Groups, etc. Misplacing them could be detrimental. Consider getting some manilla folders to keep them organized.

Two: Ask For An Adjustment

Believe it or not, this can work. The day the bill arrives (or as soon as possible) call your doctors office. Let them know you are uninsured and will be paying the bills out of pocket. Then, ask for a discount. Don’t be afraid to pull a sympathy card here. After all, there’s a human on the other end of the phone. If you have limited income and your health and well-being are in jeopardy, let them know.

Three: Set Up A Payment Plan

I recommend doing this as soon as possible. Let them know you need to pay for medical bills with no insurance. Establishing a payment plan ensures your debt doesn’t go into collections while you are gathering and applying for other ways to pay. Keep in mind that you will have to call each office to set this up, assuming they offer a payment plan. If they don’t, make that debt a priority for paying first.

*Note – When creating a payment plan, you may have to make the first installment that day. Check your budget and make sure this is possible before calling.

Four: Apply For Assistance

If pride is a thing for you, it’s time to set it aside. There is absolutely nothing wrong with applying for government assistance when you need it. Do an online search for your state’s medical assistance program and apply. Likewise, most hospitals have their own charity or free care program. Apply! But be prepared to supply information such as annual income, latest years income tax, the number of people in your household and all of your assets. Trust me, though; it is absolutely worth it to have that debt removed from your shoulders.

Five: Look For Ways To Make Extra Money

Get creative and look for ways to add income. Every little bit could go directly toward those unpaid medical bills.

Here are some ways to add income:

Sell your old games, cd’s, books, or tech to Decluttr. They make it easy by providing free shipping and next day payment.

Use Ibotta for grocery shopping and ebates for online shopping. Then, refer friends to earn even more.

Make money with Swagbucks by playing games and watching videos online.

Sell clothes you or your kids have outgrown to consignment stores or in facebook yardsale groups.

Start your own blog. Especially if there’s something you’re well versed in and are constantly giving advice on the topic.

Six: Ask For Help

If all else fails, look to crowdfunding. Sites like GoFundMe have made it simple to start a fundraiser for your medical bills. All you have to do is create the campaign, start sharing with family and friends and wait.

It’s so frustrating to watch those bills add up. I also know that I was able to pay for medical bills with no insurance by applying the above steps. I can’t make any guarantees, but I’m positive you’ll be better off for trying.

Comments

Medical bills are such a burden for people- thank you for writing this article. I completely agree with #2. Always ask for an adjustment, especially if you’ve been paying on this for a while. The hospital would rather have something than nothing so it’s always worth the question. Thanks!

You are so welcome!
I’ve been in that position and it’s horrible knowing you need medical care, but will ultimately be up to your eyeballs in debt with no insurance. I’m sure you see that struggle daily in your profession which makes your comment mean so much to me.
Thank you. 🙂

Meet Katie

Welcome! I'm Katie and I'm on a journey to live the life I've always dreamed. My love for family, travel and frugal living keep me moving forward. Join me as I share my successes with the hopes of inspiring others.

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